Caught
by sasha1600
Summary: Summary: Palmer and Lee finally get caught. Warning: spanking of adults. Don’t like? Don’t read!


**Caught**

**Disclaimer:** They're not mine; I just play with them.

**Summary: **Palmer and Lee finally get caught. **Warning**: spanking of adults. Don't like? Don't read!

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A/N: This is part of the series that began with The Lesson. Vague tag to the Palmer/Lee plotline but no specific episode intended; set at whatever point in the future of the show their relationship becomes public knowledge. The tag to the sex-in-the-office storyline was too obvious an excuse for a little office discipline to ignore and I didn't want to wait to post this fic (especially since PaperHat is so eager to see Jimmy get spanked!) but I'll be writing stories in the future that are 'chronologically' earlier than this. Just accept the fact that there's a big gap that still needs to be filled in.

A/N2 (9/9/08): I'm re-dating this so that it takes place shortly before Angel of Death, so that it can have a definite place in my larger plot arc... there are stories I want to write that logically come after this, so, in my sand-box, Jimmy and Michelle get found out at the end of season 4, ok? And Gibbs's surprise in Last Man Standing is about them apparently continuing after this, ok?

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**Warning: this story contains the non-sexual spanking of adults. There's also a smidgen of sex in the backdrop – nothing graphic, less than we've seen of the Palmer/Lee dynamic on TV. If you are not comfortable with that, click on that 'back' button now. You've been warned.**

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Gibbs stepped out of the elevator carrying a brightly wrapped box. He knew that Ducky had already left for the night; he'd walked him to his car himself. He wouldn't find his birthday present until he came in the next morning. Gibbs was feeling rather pleased with himself about this one. An old buddy from the Corps was now living in England, having married a brilliant microbiologist who had just accepted a job at Oxford. He'd had Doug send him a 'care package' of assorted goodies the ME complained about not being able to get in the US – Jaffa cakes, malt vinegar crisps, M&S Extra Strong tea, and about a dozen different kinds of Cadbury's chocolate. Abby had been bored and volunteered to wrap the gift – wrapping each item separately, then putting them all back in the box and wrapping it. She'd even used paper without skulls on it, after a brief staring contest with Gibbs. Ducky was gonna love it.

A sudden scream drew his attention back to the present. But even as his hand moved to his gun, he realised that it was a cry of passion rather than one of pain or fear. The unmistakable sounds of a couple in the midst of sex seemed to be coming from behind the wall next to which he stood. They were obviously in the corner between the door and the back cabinets, the only small area in autopsy that wasn't visible on any of the security cameras.

Gibbs felt a rush of anger as he strode toward the automatic doors, sure he was about to find McGee and Abby together. They hadn't said anything about being back together, but they seemed to be heading in that direction and it wouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone when they got there. He wasn't sure why they'd be in autopsy rather than in Abby's lab, which had its own share of blind-spots not covered by the cameras, but maybe they thought there was less chance of them being interrupted here since Ducky had left. Reminding himself not to actually kill McGee for enjoying himself with the energetic Goth whom Gibbs thought of as a daughter instead of finishing the report he was supposed to be writing, he burst through the doors and turned toward the delinquent pair.

'Palmer? Agent Lee?' _What the hell? When did _that_ start?_

A startled cry and a frantic rearranging of clothes later, they turned sheepishly towards him.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?'

'We were.. err...'

'I know _what_ you were doing, Palmer. But why the hell were you doing it here?'

'It was... exciting... know that we could...' Agent Lee's voice was soft, and directed at her feet, so Gibbs could barely make out what she was saying.

'Knowing that you could get caught? Well, you have been. Do you still think it's exciting, Agent Lee?'

'No, Sir.'

Gibbs let that slide. Normally, he hated being called 'Sir'. But the stuttering he'd get from these two if he said anything would be worse than the 'Sir'ing, and more than he could take at the moment. Launching into his best pissed-off-Gunny voice, he continued to chew them out.

'I don't care what you do on your own time and outside of this building. But _inside_ this building you will behave professionally. This is a federal agency, not some damn soap opera. I don't want to see you within two feet of each other, unless one of you is dying. And if I _ever_ even _hear_ of you repeating that little stunt, I will personally see to it that Agent Lee is transferred to Norfolk. Is that clear?'

Silence.

'I said, IS. THAT. CLEAR?'

'Yes, Sir.'

'Yes, Sir.'

Realising that he was still holding the birthday gift, Gibbs walked over and put it on Ducky's desk. He rubbed one hand over his eyes. He did not need to be dealing with this at this time of the evening. Well, ever, actually. There were definitely days when he felt like a high school principal, but this was a new one.

Of course, neither of them was really his responsibility. Lee had transferred back to Legal shortly after his return from Mexico, and Ducky and Palmer weren't technically part of his team although they did work closely together.

But, despite his annoyance, he felt a touch of sympathy for the couple, and decided to give them the opportunity to avoid the embarrassment of reporting them to their respective superiors. Gibbs's approach to discipline was unorthodox, but highly effective, and had the added benefit of avoiding the tedious and inconvenient paper trail that accompanied the official sanctions listed in the NCIS regs. A formal reprimand would have serious implications for their careers, especially for Lee. Gibbs had no doubt that treating the errant couple like he would his own team was not unfair to them, but he was reluctant unilaterally to impose his authority.

'Alright. Either I punish you myself, or I report this to your supervisors. Your choice.'

Palmer quickly decided that Gibbs was much scarier than Ducky. But when he started to answer, he found Michelle speaking at the same time.

'I'd rather you just told Dr. Mallard, Agent Gibbs.'

'I don't want anyone else to know, Sir.'

Gibbs rolled his eyes and silently counted to three.

'Pick one.'

They looked at each other, Michelle pleading with her eyes for Jimmy not to subject her to public humiliation. Finally, he nodded.

'Alright, Agent Gibbs.'

'Ok. Both of you. Bend over.'

Gibbs nodded toward Ducky's desk, pulling open one of the drawers and rummaging inside it. When he looked up, he realised that neither had moved.

'Now.'

'Erm, Agent Gibbs, isn't there some other way...'

'And just how else am I supposed to punish you without telling your supervisor, Agent Lee? I can't secretly suspend you.'

'Uh...'

'I'm not going to force you, Agent Lee. If you don't want to do this, I can leave it to your supervisor to determine your punishment.'

'No. No... I...'

Gibbs's respect for the young women went up a notch as she walked over to the desk and leaned over it. He glared at Palmer, pointing at the other end of the desk. He didn't move.

'Palmer!'

Finally, self-consciously, the ME's assistant joined his lover.

Gibbs found what he was looking for in the desk – a heavy wooden ruler. As he moved next to Lee, he was surprised to hear Palmer speak.

'Agent Gibbs? Would it be alright if I took the punishment for both of us? I mean, you can... hit me... twice as much if you want to. But please don't hurt Michelle.'

Gibbs looked at Palmer in astonishment. His estimation of the kid went up a hell of a lot. That took guts, especially since it looked like he was about to throw up at the thought of what Gibbs guessed was going to be the first spanking of his life. Making sure to meet his eyes, Gibbs shook his head.

'Sorry, Tom Sawyer. You were both willing participants. You both have to take the consequences.'

'Huh? Tom Sawyer? I don't understand...?'

Gibbs rolled his eyes again. _Doesn't anybody _read_ anymore_?

Spanking Lee first was the extent of his chivalry. He didn't believe in going easier on women just because they were women. Lee would not be the first female NCIS employee to experience his unorthodox approach to discipline. But he wasn't going to make a woman watch while her lover was smacked on the ass until he screamed in pain, knowing that her turn was next.

He placed his left hand on her back, pressing her closer to the desk. She cringed at his touch, screwing her eyes shut as if she were already in pain. He raised the ruler, knowing it would be easier for her if they got it over with quickly. She was scared, but not in enough distress to make him concerned about her ability to continue.

_Smack!_

Gibbs was surprised that she didn't cry out at the first blow. He wasn't spanking her very hard, but he knew that her senses were heightened by the interrupted love-making.

_Smack!_

_Smack! _

He rained carefully measured spanks down on her ass, alternating cheeks in a steady rhythm. She gasped voicelessly and clenched her fists tightly against the building pain. Tears streamed down her face. But she was determined to maintain her dignity, and she refused to scream or to beg him to stop. She clenched her teeth tightly together.

_Smack!_

_Smack!_

Concerned that she wasn't breathing, Gibbs paused. He didn't usually lecture while he spanked, but he didn't want her passing out from lack of oxygen.

'I know you know better than to behave like some love-struck teenager. You are a federal agent and you'd better start acting like one.'

Seeing her successfully get a few gulps of air into her lungs, he raised the ruler again.

_Smack!_

_Smack!_

_Smack!_

Michelle struggled against his restraining hand, her resolve weakening, and finally cried out in pain and humiliation.

_Smack!_

_Smack!_

After the tenth stroke, he set the ruler down on the desk, keeping his hand firmly on her back.

'It's ok. That's it. It's over. Don't try to move until you catch your breath. You're alright.'

Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed quietly against the desk, gasping for air.

'Palmer! Get over here and hold her until she calms down.'

'But... you said...'

'_Comfort _her. Do I really need to explain the difference between a hug and a romp in the hay?'

Gibbs stood to one side, giving the couple a degree of privacy. He was surprised to realise that he was sexist about spanking, after all – he had always comforted Kate and Abby after he disciplined them, but DiNozzo and McGee were on their own. And while his relationship with Agent Lee wasn't close enough for either of them to welcome the prospect of her crying on his shoulder, it hadn't occurred to him to leave her to pull herself together while he moved on to Palmer. He wondered briefly how Tony would react to being pulled into a hug after his next spanking.

Meanwhile, Jimmy took Michelle into his arms, holding her awkwardly in an effort not to hurt her more. She cried against him until she was spent. Her breathing slowly returned to normal. Jimmy handed her a tissue from the box Ducky kept on his desk, and gently kissed her forehead.

Gibbs could see that Jimmy wasn't used to being the hero who made everything all better. In a moment of generosity that he assured himself did _not_ mean that he was getting sentimental, he decided to let the kid keep his new-found status in Michelle's eyes, and spare him the indignity of crying in front of his girlfriend.

'Ok, Agent Lee, you can leave now.'

She hesitated, not wanting to challenge Gibbs for fear that he'd spank her again, but not wanting to leave her lover either.

'Palmer can meet you at your office when we're done here.'

Michelle slowly got to her feet and started toward the door. She winced slightly, discovering that it hurt to walk, and wondered how she would be able to sit down when she reached her desk.

Gibbs waited until he heard the elevator doors close behind her before turning to Palmer.

'C'mon, Palmer, let's get this over with.'

Gibbs motioned for him to bend over the desk, and picked up the ruler again.

Observing the awkwardness with which Palmer leaned forward, Gibbs stepped closer to him and pressed gently on his back until he bent further over the desk. He kept his hand on his back while speaking to the clearly terrified younger man.

'You've never been spanked before, have you?'

'Nnnn...no, Sir.'

It was obvious that Palmer needed reassurance, but coddling him would be a mistake. The kid probably already felt a bit out of place, working in a testosterone-charged quasi-military law enforcement agency when he was so... not. The last thing he needed was for Gibbs to suggest that he couldn't even handle as much as his girlfriend.

'Ok. You're going to be alright. It's harder when you don't know what to expect, but you can get through this. It's going to hurt, but you're not in any danger. Take a deep breath. That's it. Again. Are you ready?'

He waited for Palmer to nod before bringing the ruler down on his ass.

_Smack!_

'Eeeeee...ahhhhhhhhh.'

Gibbs rolled his eyes at the howl of pain. He wasn't spanking him nearly hard enough to justify that kind of reaction. He wouldn't actually _tell_ the kid he thought he was a wimp, but he saw no reason to school his features when Palmer couldn't see his face.

_Smack!_

'Awwwhhhh. P...p...p...'

_Smack!_

'AWWWWHHHHHH. Pppp... please...'

Gibbs shifted his hand slightly, pressing Palmer closer to the desk, and adjusted his aim to compensate for the other man's squirming efforts to escape.

_Smack!_

'**AWWWHHHHH.** No... no more... pppp...'

Gibbs found himself wishing it had been Abby and McGee. They would not have been this much trouble.

_Smack!_

'**AWWWWWWWHHHHHHNNNNNGGGGHHHHH.**'

'Breathe, Palmer. That's it. No, stay still. We're not done yet. Just catch your breath.' Gibbs was still spanking him fairly lightly. His ass would be sore for a while, but even with the ruler there wouldn't be any real bruising.

'Puh... puh... please, Agent Gggg... Gibbs. I ccccc... can't...'

Palmer struggled to stand up. Gibbs efficiently manoeuvred him into a new position, pinning one hand to the small of his back so he could hold him in place more easily.

'You can do this, Palmer. You _are_ going to do this. You behaved irresponsibly. You risked Agent Lee's job, and her reputation, not just your own. You knew it was wrong. You enjoyed it _because_ it was wrong. You wanted the excitement of knowing there could be consequences; now you have to take those consequences.'

_Smack!_

'**AAAAAHHHHH.**'

_Smack!_

'**AAAAHHHHHHH.**'

_Smack!_

'**AAAAAHHHHHH.**'

_Smack!_

'**AAAAAAHHHHHHH.**'

_Smack!_

'**AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!**'

'Ok, Palmer. That's it. Catch your breath before you try to get up.'

Gibbs removed the hand that was pinning him down and walked around the desk to return the ruler to the drawer. He could see Palmer's face was red, his eyes puffy with tears. He clung to the desk, still making a strangled sobbing noise. Gibbs bit back his annoyance. He recognised that the experience had been frightening and painful, and not everyone thought that not showing emotion was a basic life-skill. He grabbed some paper towels from the roll on the counter and ran them under cold water at the small sink, then handed them to Palmer.

'Here. Wash your face. You'll feel better.'

Relieved to see him manage to pull himself together enough to start scrubbing at his eyes with the cool towel, Gibbs gave him a couple of minutes to finish calming down.

'C'mon, Palmer. Agent Lee is waiting for you. Go clean yourself up and take her home.'

Gibbs basically dragged him off the desk and steered him out the doors into the hallway, and gave him a little push toward the restroom, hoping he'd have enough sense to make himself presentable before heading upstairs. He pushed the button for the elevator, but turned around when he heard his name.

'Agent Gibbs?'

'Yeah?'

'I really hope I don't ever have to be spanked again.'

'Yeah, Palmer. Me, too.'


End file.
